Start of a Legend
by Gadoken King
Summary: This is the begining of a series of mine, all the Final Fantasies, with my own sorta twist. Story is still in experimental stage, so reviews are my bread and butter right now.FEED ME!
1. A troubled hero

Ok, to go down the list, I don't own any of the cities in this story, I don't own any of the weapon, armor, or spell names in this story, and I don't own the basic plot. This is my version of the Nintendo game "Final Fantasy" by Squaresoft. I plan on writing stories about each of the final fantasy games, but since there are no real characters in this game, i have invented my own. I'm still fairly new to the fanfiction business ( for my other stories, look for me at the Street Fighter and Lunar sections. Shameless self-endorsement. I know.), and my spelling is a little rough, so bear with me. Hopefully I'll get better at this, but for now, courage. By the way, please review. One of the main reasons I write these thingys is to get responses, so if you read this, please try to take some time to let me know what you think. And now, without further ado, here's the story.  
  
  
  
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The sun rose one fine morning in Corneria, the Dream Kingdom. People had begun their daily routines and the city was full of noise. Everyone was outside, enjoying the fresh air while they gathered water or went off to buy and sell goods. Almost everyone, that is.  
  
A young man was sprawled out in his bed, blankets on the floor. He was shielding his eyes from the light and grumbling. In the background there was a heavy thumping sound. The man wouldn't have been suprised if the sound was his head.  
  
"What do you want? Go away! I need sleep!"  
  
But the thumping continued louder and louder, and the young man decided it wouldn't go away until he answered it. So he grudgingly got up and went to answer his door, throwing on an unwashed tunic and rubbing his eyes.  
  
"I really shouldn't have drank so much last night", he mumbled to himself. Last night had been the third centennial anniversary of Coneria, and the young man had been at the party, happily drinking the night away. Now the morning had come and it was taking it's toll. He opened the door.  
  
Standing before him was a member of the King's elite guard, waiting with an impatient look on his face.  
  
"Huh? What do you want with me?"  
  
The guard pulled out a scroll and loudly proclaimed, "His highness wishes to speak with you. Once you have prepared, come to the throne room as soon as possible."  
  
The man winced from the loud noises that were penetrating his headache and sighed. "Why does the King want to see me?"  
  
The guard rolled his eyes. "I have no idea, peasant, but if I were you I would report immediately..." The guard looked the man up and down. "However, if you took longer to groom yourself, I'm sure no one would hold you for worse. Good day."  
  
The man went outside and looked at himself in the well. His clothes were stained with ale and food, his eyes were bloodshot and had bags, and his red hair was a complete mess. "Can't go to the King looking like this," he mused to himself, and smiled. Reaching in his pack, he pulled out a black cap. The word "Klyde" was stitched out in blue thread. He quickly patted down his mass of red hair and put the cap on. Grinning, he headed towards the castle.  
  
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Well, that was the introduction. If you are at this point, that means you took the time to read this. Now you can find the time to review! HEH! Let me know what you think. Chapter 2 should be up in about 24 hours or so. 


	2. The king's errand

Klyde wandered up to the castle of Coneria. As he walked up to the gates, one of the guards began to chuckle.

"Well, I saw you at the festival last night, Klyde. Think you drank enough?", the guard sneered sarcastically.

Klyde approached the guard wordlessly and punched him in the face. Then he continued walking.

The other guard stared in disbelief. Then reality kicked in. "Hey! Get back here!" He helped up his fallen comrade and the two began chasing Klyde. Klyde ducked into a room and slammed it shut behind him. The two guards began to throw their weight against the door. Klyde listened carefully to the sounds, and then just before they rammed the door again, he swung it open and the two guards fell into the room face first. Klyde began laughing loudly. Suddenly a voice boomed through the room.

"What is the meaning of this?!" The King of Coneria got off of his throne and looked at Klyde and the guard. The guards stopped and kneeled down. Klyde just turned around and smiled.

"Hey! Highness! Whats going on?"

The King rolled his eyes. "Oh, its just you Klyde. You best watch your tongue with me. The only reason I haven't sent you to the dungeon yet is because you're the only fighter in town. But keep it up and I might just change my mind."

Klyde began laughing. The King's tone suddenly went from a playful scolding to seriousness. "But I still want to know why you two busted in here. Is not my privacy even sacred?"

So the guards explained their taunting of Klyde and Klyde's reaction. The King looked sharply at Klyde, who grinned, and then turned back to the guards. "You knew I had an urgent summons for him. I should have you thrown in jail for going against my wishes. Both your pays shall be witholded this month for insubordination."

The guards bowed. "Thank you for your mercy, oh Lord." And with that they dejectedly walked out of the throne room.

Klyde yelled after them, "Thats what you get for fucking with me!" he turned around and saw the King's expression. He decided not to push his luck and kept his mouth shut. "So what's this high priority assignment you called me down for?"

The King's expression turned to one of sadness. "Do you know the Dark Knight Garland?"

"Yeah, that spooky guy who left the kingdom a few weeks ago. What about him?"

"He invaded the castle last night and kidnapped the princess."

"What? You mean the guards didn't stop him?!"

"Couldn't stop him. You know as well as I that we are not fortunate enough to have class-gifted guards. Which, by the way, leads me to enquire when you will become Captain of the guard?"

"That's if. It's not my fault I'm one of the only class-gifted in this city."

There were three ranks of people in the world. There was royalty, commoners, and class-gifted. The royalty was formed by the great families of the past, and the title was handed down from generation to generation. Class-gifted people were born with an innate class. Some were born with the power of magic, and some had great fighting prowess. Class-gifted were born from both the royalty and commoners, so some family's ranks were upgraded by the birth of a gifted. Then there was the commoners. These were the fodder of the caste system. People who lived at the bottom of the food chain. Sadly for them, life offered no means of elevation ,short of birthing a gifted, so upward class mobility was rare. Klyde had been lucky enough to been born with the makings of a fighter class, a class with exceptional swordsmanship and strength. Klyde was the only of his kind in Corneria. The dark knight class was much rarer, and incredibly more powerful. While also lacking in magic, the class gave it's possessor unnatural strength with a dark blade, and this class was highly sought for guards and mercenaries. Unfortunately, as their namesake, they tended to be very mysterious and dark people, often untrustworthy as well. You watched your back around a dark knight. Sadly, the King neglected to be wary around Garland.

"So you need me to go rescue Princess Sara, huh? Easier said then done. Still... what's the fee?"

"I'm willing to pay 1000 gil. I'll give you half up front if you wish to buy equipment, and half upon my dearest Sara's safe return."

"1000 gil, huh? Not bad, figure 300 for equipment... 700 should hold me for a few weeks..."

The King's face looked troubled. "Actually, you will only be getting 500..."

"Why?!"

The King's voice began to grow softer as he spoke. "Well, you'll have to split it with your partn..."

Klyde spun around. "My partner?! You didn't say anything about having help!"

"Well, Garland is a dark knight, after all... And you are known to hold your abilities in higher esteem than necessarily true..."

"Grrr... fine. So who's my partner?"

A young man stepped into the throne room. He had on nothing but a simple fighting robe, much lighter than Klyde's own leather armor. He had a black strip of cloth around his waist, and no weapons. He had an innocent look to him, which went well with his messy brown hair. He nervously looked at Klyde and tried to smile.

"Hi. My name is James."

Klyde scowled slightly and looked at the King. "He is gifted, correct?"

"Yes. James was born into the black belt class. They are known for their stamina in battle as well as their ability to fight with their fists nearly as well as you fight with a sword."

"Yea, so I've heard... I'll have to see that one for myself though, I suppose. Oh well. So where is this Garland located, anyways?"

James spoke up. "I spoke to one of the guards that witnessed the kidnapping, Sir Klyde, and he reported that Garland headed northwest."

"First of all, don't 'sir' me..." then he began to rub his chin. "Well, the only thing up that way is an old abandoned castle from the days of yore... I'd bet a few gil he's holed himself up in there. Well, ok. Just hand us that money, and we'll be on our way." Klyde grabbed the pouch of gil and walked out of the room without ceremony. James turned and smiled nervously at the King.

"By your leave, my liege..." he said as we bowed.

The King just sighed. "Well, at least one of you has manners. I just wish Klyde didn't know enough to realize he doesn't need them..."


	3. First steps

Klyde and James stepped through the door of the Corneria weapon store, setting off a small bell to alert the owner that he had guests. James looked around, taking in his surroundings. It was a musty store, colored the pale brown that signified old wood. The array was nothing special, nothing more than the bare necessities of combat. A few knifes, and some light armor. Nothing that he found necessary. He did see a pair of nunchacku that looked promising, but the king had given Klyde the money, and he didn't look the type to hand money over easily.

Klyde walked up to the counter, a broad grin on his face. "Hey! Maurice! You have costumers!"

The owner of the store, Maurice stepped out from the back room. His face looked like it had seen better days, and by the look of his clothes, so had his wallet. He pulled out his spectacles, put them on, and then frowned. "Oh. It's you, Klyde. I thought you said I had customers…"

Klyde shook his head. "Cute. But not today, old man. You still have my blade back there?"

Maurice shook his head, his eyes narrowing as he did. "I've told you a hundred times. You pawned that sword weeks ago, and I'm not giving it back to you without some money!"

James gave his companion a look. "You pawned your weapon?"

Klyde shrugged with a wry smile on his face. "I was playing cards at the bar one night… and the bill for the drinks arrived at about the same time as my last hand did…"

"Your last hand?"

Klyde rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Uh, yea… a pair of threes…"

James crossed his arms. "So you pawned your weapon?" he repeated in a nonbelieving tone.

Klyde nodded silently.

"The only means you had to make any more money?"

Another silence.

James shook his head. "I can't believe that." He shrugged his shoulders. "Well, it's none of my concern. I'm on this mission with you, and then I can continue my quest."

Klyde grinned as he reached into his pocket. "And what quest is that?"

James puffed out his chest with pride as he spoke. "I am a disciple of the great Thaddeus, strongest of the Black Belts in history. He has gotten so good, that he has evolved his fighting style from the Black Belt class to that of a Master."

Klyde was half paying attention as he haggled over the price of the sword. "300 Gil! You only gave me 175 when I pawned it!"

James shook his head and cleared his throat. Klyde turned to him and frowned. "Keep going… I was listening. Thaddeus, Master… so? What's this quest of yours?"

"Well, he has sent me off on a mission of training. I am to travel the world, doing good deeds for all I meet."

Klyde handed over some Gil, took his sword, and smiled. "Good deeds? And this is supposed to make you stronger?" He turned to Maurice and grinned. "Pleasure doing business with ya. See you later, old man!" The two class gifted warriors left the store, and began to walk towards the exit of the town.

James continued his story. "Well, I mostly slay monsters and wanted criminals. It certainly keeps me in shape."

Klyde shrugged. "Whatever works, I guess. Well, I guess we should go. Like I said, if that Garland went anywhere, he went northwest towards the old castle. If we leave now, we should be able to get there before sunset."

James gave Klyde a worried look. "Shouldn't we get some supplies?"

A small grin formed on Klyde's face. "Ummm, yea, about that. Do you have any money?"

The Black Belt's eyes went wide with disbelief. "Me? But the king gave you the money!"

"Ummm… yea."

"How much money did you give that store owner for your sword?"

* * *

Two hours later, Klyde and James were walking through a thick forest, on their way towards the abandoned castle. James was walking with an angry look on his face.

"I can't believe you gave him all the money we had for supplies!"

Klyde shrugged as they continued walking. "I really needed to get this sword back. It was important."

James crossed his arms as they walked. "No, what was important was getting potions and antidotes! They had short swords on sale for 200 Gil! We could have gotten the short sword AND potions! Now we have no way to heal!"

The two would be heroes continued to argue, unaware that they were being watched. Concealed by the trees, a pack of goblins were planning an ambush, ready to cut the adventures down at their first mark.

Out of the corner of his field of hearing, the sound of a twig snapping caught Klyde's attention. He turned to James and hissed, "shut up!". James paused mid-gripe, giving his companion a quizzical look.

"What?"

Klyde shook his head. He put a finger to his lips, signaling for quiet. There was the sound of a bowstring snapping, and before James could say anything else, Klyde tackled him to the ground. An arrow whizzed by over their heads, and Klyde groaned as he unsheathed his sword.

"Well, whoever it is, they have bows. Great…"

James rolled to his feet, concentrating his ki for battle. Out of the forest, several goblins began to unfold from the scenery. He began to curse himself for having missed the ambush. His senses were usually sharper than that. But then, how had Klyde heard it? James tried not to be a harsh judge of character, but he could think of no other words to describe the fighter than ones such as "slovenly", "goofy", and "brash".

Klyde's face flashed one of his biggest grins, bringing his sword around in front of him. Out of the corner of his mouth, he said to James, "Now you get to see why I made such a fuss over this sword." Before James could reply, Klyde dashed forward, brining his sword behind him. He swung his sword in a powerful arc, and the wind around him picked up. A small tornado formed under the feet of a group of goblins, lifting them up off the ground. As suddenly as the wind started, it stopped, smashing them all to the floor. Before any of them could recover, Klyde brought his sword down, cutting through them with one swoop of the blade.

James stared wide eyed for a moment, not quite able to believe what he was seeing. A rustling sound behind him pulled him back to the here and now, and he spun around, finding a goblin with a knife approaching his back. The goblin dashed forward, his surprise blown, thrusting the knife at the young black belt. James concentrated his ki, grabbing the dagger by it's blade, and yanking it out of the goblin's hand. He threw the knife back, lodging the weapon directly between the now dead goblin's eyes. He rubbed his hand slightly, turning around to face Klyde. The fighter had finished off the stragglers, and was coming to check on his new partner. He looked at the hand James was rubbing and frowned.

"No blood? But you grabbed that blade with your bare hands!"

James shrugged. "It's a trick you learn in your first year at Master Thaddeus' school. You concentrate your ki into your hand, and low level blades cannot pierce it."

Klyde nodded as they walked away from the carnage. "Handy trick, I bet."

"Maybe, but it was nothing compared to that little storm you brewed up back there. How the heck did you do that? I thought fighters couldn't use magic!"

Klyde flashed another grin. "We can't."

"But…?"

Klyde held up his sword, and the light managed to glint off of it, making a slight 'ting' sound. "It's all thanks to this baby. Aeolus."

"Aeolus?"

"It means 'King of Winds' in Mysidian. If you focus while using it in combat, you can conjure storms and such with it. The mage I won it off of said there were a lot of other tricks that could be done with it, but that little storm is about all I can manage."

James nodded as they exited the forest. "Now it begins to make sense… why you made such a hassle getting it back from that shop…" A little bit further north, the ancient ruins of some long forgotten castle loomed in front of them. Not much could be seen from the outside, but the front gates looked like they had been forced open recently. Klyde gave James a thumbs up. "Looks like we got a lead! Let's go!"

The fighter began to quicken his pace as he ran towards the foreboding castle. James went to follow, when a thought had struck him. "Wait a minute! You pawned off a sword like that for 175 gil! To pay a drinking tab!"

* * *

AN- well, there you are everyone. It's been a while since I worked on this story (like, um, 2 and a half years… whoops. I had lost my account information, and my life had been twisted around for a while, but now I have a chance to write again, so I'm jumping back in. That may be why chapter 2 and chapter 3 feel so distant from each other. Because they were written in a two and a half year gap. But don't worry. There won't be long gaps like that anymore. I am steadily working on three different stories besides this one, and I don't often take long to update. Usually I get a new chapter up two or three times a week. If you like, let me know. I would enjoy getting some feedback as I delve back into the world of Final Fantasy. Until next time! 


	4. The Dark Knight

The inside of the abandoned castle had little lighting, but the sounds of bats echoed throughout the hallowed hallways. There were piles of rubble, the ceiling having collapsed in at certain points. The stars had risen, and they provided a scant light for Klyde and James to navigate through the decaying castle. James shook his head as he climbed over another chunk of ceiling.

"I dunno, Klyde. I don't think this Garland guy is here. Is there anywhere else he could have taken this princess?"

Klyde grunted as he dropped to the ground. "Well, the bridge north collapsed in a couple of months ago, so he isn't escaping that way. This is the only spot on the island except for Corneria, and he isn't there."

James shrugged, swatting away a bat as he stepped into a small chamber to the side. His eyes went wide, and he motioned for Klyde to come over. Klyde peeked his head into the room, and tied to a chair was the beautiful princess Sara. She had flowing brown hair, with crystalline blue eyes. Even with the black rings of stress and sleep deprivation under them, they still had a definite sense of beauty to them. "Score…" Klyde whispered as he crept into the room. James stood watch at the door as Klyde untied the princess. He motioned for silence to the princess as he pulled the gag out of her mouth.

"I'm here to save you, Princess…" he mouthed as he finished undoing the ropes. He waved his hand, motioning for her to follow them out. James led the way, and they headed toward the exit of the decrepit castle. The way out was quite uneventful, except that the closer they came to the entrance; the louder the bats began to screech. Klyde turned around, and standing in a doorway was a looming figure, clad in black armor, with a flowing blood red cape. His head was concealed by a monstrous helmet, horns protruding from either side, creating an image of a devil in Klyde's head.

"Garland!"

Garland brought his hand to the sword hanging from his hip. "So, you are the pawns of King Corneria?"

Klyde nodded. "We prefer the term hired help, but pawns will do, in the circumstances." He put his hand on Princess Sara's arm and lightly nudged her, motioning for her to flee to the door. She turned around and ran in a panicked burst, but before her captor could react, Klyde stepped in-between the dark knight and his prey.

Garland drew his sword, and even with the little light available, it seemed as if the air around the sword grew blacker. The blade was a dull purple, and it's aura sent a chill down James' spine. "A fighter and a black belt? That is the best that foolish king could send against me? This will be easier than I thought!"

Garland dashed forward, bringing his sword above his head. Klyde barely had time to dodge as the dark knight brought his evil blade down where the fighter had been standing. Klyde came up from his roll, his Aeolus already out and ready. Before he could do anything, James rushed at the dark knight, attempting to engage him toe to toe.

"No! You aren't gonna be able to stop him!"

Garland brought his sword around, nearly catching James in the face. James ducked to the side, and came up with both fists ready.

"Repeating fist!" he yelled, throwing out his fists at such a speed that Klyde couldn't even see them. Even with his armor, Garland still apparently felt the blows, stumbling backwards as he clutched at his damaged ribs.

"Damn you, boy!" He threw out his free hand, and a small glow surrounded it. "Fire!" he yelled as he summoned magical power, causing flames to erupt under the feet of the young black belt. The force of the explosion sent James into a nearby wall, knocking him unconscious on impact. Garland advanced on his fallen adversary, but was cut off as Klyde attacked his exposed back. Klyde's wild slash failed to do any damage against the dark knight, but that wasn't the point. _He'll crush that stupid kid in one shot! I have to lead him away!_

Klyde scooped a rock off of the ground, tested it's weight for a second, and then launched it at Garland's big helmet. "Hey, idiot! That big sword just for show?"

Garland pointed the sword at Klyde, and shifted his feet into position for a thrusting attack. "See for yourself, you impudent fool!" In the second it took for Klyde to blink, Garland covered the distance between the two of them. Klyde just barely managed to pull his Aeolus up in time to block the attack. There was a brief skirmish of sword clashes, and Klyde realized he was no match for the dark knight in terms of sword fighting alone. Instead of parrying his next slash, Klyde rolled under it, concentrating his power and letting the Aeolus take over from there. A strung burst of wind exploded under Garland, taking him off of his feet. There was a heavy crash as he smashed into the ground, his armor dented in some spots from the thick stone floor. He slowly pulled himself to his feet, and from behind the helmet, there came a hearty chuckle.

"A fighter who can cast Aero? How… peculiar…."

Klyde pulled the Aeolus in front of him and smiled. "Like you're one to talk. I thought dark knights couldn't use black magic…"

"Hah. I have evolved far beyond any mere dark knight. My powers are incomprehensible to you, little fighter! This is how it is done! Aero!" he yelled as he thrust his hand forward. Klyde had a split second where he could taste a difference in the air before it picked up speed, lifting him off the ground. His flailing head smacked into the wall behind him, and he crashed into the ground, slumping up against the corner. Garland stood over his prone figure, brining his dark sword up, preparing to finish off his foe.

With an excruciating amount of effort, Klyde pulled up his Aeolus in a ridiculous attempt to defend himself. Garland went to deliver the final blow, when the Aeolus suddenly began to glow. The blue shine came from the base of the sword, where a small gem was imbedded. Garland stopped, almost as if hypnotized by the phenomena.

"It's almost… too easy…" he murmured before Klyde gathered the strength to thrust his sword hand upward, bringing the Aeolus up, piercing Garland's armor. He tried to take in a sharp breath, but found it wasn't going to happen. He slumped over the sword.

The weight of the dark knight was too much to bear, so Klyde let his sword fall to the side, Garland's lifeless body rolling to the floor. The fighter took a moment to pull himself together, shaking his head and slowly standing up. He retrieved his sword, looked down at the prone form of Garland, and kicked it in the ribs. Seemingly satisfied, he walked over to James and lightly nudged him with his foot. James groaned for a few moments, and then slowly sat up.

"What happened?"

Klyde grinned. "I had that guy up against the wall, man! He was begging me for his life, and he promised to be my loyal servant and stuff. In the end I killed him, though. You shoulda seen it, too! I did this awesome flip, and there were these flashing lights, and…"

James shook his head. "None of that happened, did it?"

"No." Klyde said without missing a beat. "Now, c'mon, let's go catch up with our damsel in distress." Klyde waggled his eyebrows as he nudged James in the ribs. "Not a bad catch, huh?"

James rolled his eyes as the two of them left the ancient castle in search of more pleasant scenery.


	5. Start of a legend

King Corneria smiled at his daughter, Princess Sara. The two of them were sitting in Corneria's throne room, when Klyde and James entered the room. He turned toward them and beamed with a large toothy grin.

"You both have my humble thanks. My daughter is more precious to me than life itself. I know it isn't much, but here is the rest of your reward."

Klyde stepped forward, pocketing the gil. He nodded at the king, and as he went to turn away, Princess Sara slipped a small note into his pocket with a movement that no one else noticed. Once he turned his back to the royal pair, he took out the note and read its contents.

**Klyde.**

**Please come to my chamber this evening. I would like to give you a more personal award for your heroics.**

**Princess Sara**

Klyde closed his eyes and punched the air, whispering "yes" as he walked out of the throne room. James turned to him. "Um, Klyde…. Klyde?" James ran after him out into the main hall of Corneria castle. "Klyde? What about my share of the reward?…"

* * *

Klyde finally gave up trying to do anything with his hair. Since he was a kid, his red plume of hair had always had a mind of his own. He shook his head, slipped on his hat, and gave himself a thumbs up in the mirror. He had explained to James that he had somehow lost the reward money on the way from the throne room to the courtyard, and after getting lectured for several minutes about money and responsibility. Klyde had apologized and excused himself to go off and have some beers. Several hours and many more drinks later, Klyde had remembered about his appointment with Princess Sara.

He stumbled towards Princess Sara's room, and managed two or three drunken knocks. Princess Sara opened the door, grabbed him by the shirt, and pulled him in. Klyde looked around the room, taking in all the details. Pink curtains and pink rugs adorned the walls and floors, and the furniture all had a pink hue. Pink blankets and pink pillows covered the huge bedframe, and the bedspread was… well, think of it this way. It wasn't black.

Princess Sara smiled at Klyde, wearing a long pink nightdress. "Would you like a drink?"

Klyde nodded vigorously. _She must be psychic!… this is awesome!_

Sara sat down next to Klyde, offering him a glass of wine. Klyde grinned as he downed it in one shot, hiccupping drunkenly. She leaned in close and sighed. "When I got back, I feel into a deep sleep. I didn't have a chance to sleep at all when I was captured by Garland." She shivered and leaned against Klyde. Klyde grinned at no one in general and put his arm around her. She continued her narrative.

"While I slept, I had a dream about you…" Klyde silently thanked whatever god happened to be listening at that moment. "I can't remember much… but…. Something important happened."

"Something important?"

Sara struggled, attempting to remember her dream, every waking moment erasing another section of the vision. "There… there was some sort of evil. It threatened the whole land. And you were in it, somehow…"

Klyde scratched his head. This didn't sound like the dirty sex dream he was expecting to hear about…

Sara reached behind her pillow, and Klyde got excited again. But what she pulled out cast a shadow of disappointment on his face. It was a simple looking lute. She smiled softly and held it out to him. He hesitantly took it, trying to hide the frustration in his voice.

"This… this is why you called me in here? To give me this lute?"

Sara gave him a reproachful look. "It has been in my family for many generations. It is said to hold magical powers, and will help the Light Warrior in his time of need."

Klyde tilted his head slightly. "The Light Warrior?"

Sara nodded, and Klyde couldn't help but follow her beautiful locks of hair up and down like a yoyo. "You know the legend of the four orbs, right?"

Klyde's face lit up in a display of agonized recollection. He hadn't heard the legend for years, and he was drunk enough as it is. Slowly, piece by piece, the story came back to him.

"Wasn't it…? Um… There are four orbs, and they control the world, right?" He looked to her nod to continue. "There was the wind orb, and the earth orb….. and um, the orb of beer?…" Sara shot him a look. "I mean, orb of…. Oh yeah, fire. And water?"

"Right." Sara replied. "Wind, earth, fire and water. And each orb controlled that aspect of the world. As long as they were all charged by the power of the four temples, everything would be okay."

"Okay. So what does this have to do with the lute?"

Sara shoved him playfully. "I was getting to that. Don't be impatient. Well, the legend says that one day the four orbs will lose their power, and they will be tracked down by the forces of darkness. The world will be thrown into turmoil, and the end will be near. But from nowhere, the Light Warriors will come forth, and they shall save the orbs."

Klyde shrugged. "And…?"

"The Light Warriors. Like the Light Warrior?…" She waited for recognition to dawn. She was in for a long wait. Finally she grew sick of it and sighed. "Basically, I think that the Light Warriors from the legend of the orbs are the same as the Light Warrior in my family's heirloom!"

"Ohhhhh…."

Sara shook her head. "Well, that's what I wanted to give you." She said as she handed the lute to Klyde. He took it in his hands, and hesitantly stood up.

"Umm. That's it?…"

Sara tilted her head to the side. "Yes…. Why?"

Klyde hung his head. "Oh, no reason. I guess I'll be going, then?…"

Sara nodded, standing up and leading him to the door. "Yes. I need to rest. I'm still tired from that ordeal with Garland. Thank you very much, Sir Klyde."

Klyde's face met the closing door, and a sigh escaped as he turned away. "Dammit…" he mumbled as he slunk away to finish off his drunken evening.

* * *

The rest of the week found Klyde in the Corneria Library, researching the legend of the orbs. The first four nights after Sara had been rescued, she had dreams involving Klyde and some sort of great evil. After the fourth night, Klyde decided to find out more about the tale. Three days of research had no result, and the easily distracted fighter was beginning to lose hope.

"Crap! I haven't found anything new about these damn orbs!"

James came up behind him, and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Still at it, huh?"

Klyde buried his head in his arms and sighed. "This is friggin pointless. Everything I'm reading, I already know."

"Well, its time for you to take a break. The king wants to talk to us."

Klyde took the book he was reading and threw it at a wall. The librarian gave him a dirty look from around a shelf. He stood up and stretched, several unused joints cracking. Then the two heroes struck out into the sunlight.

* * *

King Corneria gave the pair a frown as they entered the throne room. "Good, you're both here. We have a grave situation. There was a distress message from the town of Provoca, to the north east. Apparently, some sort of evil has taken over the town. I want the two of you to infiltrate the town, find out what the problem is, and neutralize it. I'll give you two thousand Gil to buy supplies, and whatever is left over will be your reward. I'm sure the people of Provoca will be happy to reward you as well."

James met the king's stare and smiled. "You know I'm willing to help."

Klyde nodded. "That sounds like a pretty sweet deal. Count me in." He stopped and scratched his chin. "Hey, how are we gonna get there? Isn't the bridge out?"

"Not anymore. I had my men fix the bridge during the past week. Everything is prepared for your departure."

One of the king's men handed Klyde a pouch. The pouch clinked, heavy with golden Gil coins. James went to take a grab at it, but Klyde deftly pulled the bag to the side, waving to the king as he walked out of the room. James followed after him, intent on not getting gypped out of his reward.

Princess Sara shook her head as she watched him go, worried about where Klyde's travels would take him.

* * *

Klyde and James walked into Maurice's general shop, the small bell once again going off, alerting the elderly shopkeeper to their presence. He emerged from the back room, a tired look on his face.

"Ah, Klyde… is there anything I can do for you?"

Klyde selected a thick leather tunic, and a small dagger for his right hand. Two blades were always better than one, he had reasoned.

James decided to try out the nunchaku, and bought himself a light green headband. He also insisted on picking up potions and a few antidotes.

Klyde counted the leftover Gil, a grim look on his face. "Well, we've got about 400 Gil left. That's 300 for me, and a hundred left for you."

James shook his head, resigned to his fate. Klyde waved to the old shopkeeper as they departed on their quest. "Catch ya later, Maurice!"

* * *

The two adventurers began to walk across the newly fixedbridge. The sun was setting, causing the sky to light up in a panorama of pinks and grays. The water reflected the sky, creating a painting of a landscape normally only seen in movies and video games. James turned to Klyde.

"Do you feel like, I don't know… like…. These are the first steps of a grand adventure or something?…"

Klyde shook his head as they trudged on.

"No. You're just a moron…"

Final Fantasy

* * *

AN- Well, we've finished the epilogue. That's why the chapters were so short. But now we begin the real adventure, and things might just get interesting. For those who've played the game, the bridge thing should seem familiar. When the bridge is crossed in the game, the panorama I mentioned is shown, along with some nifty music. After a small intro paragraph, the title of the game is finally shown. Hence why I wrote "Final Fantasy" at the end of the chapter. Eh, you guys know what I'm talking about. No need to explain. I hope you all enjoyed this story setup. Next installment, we've got Matoya's cave, and the assault on Provoca. See you guys soon! 


	6. Matoya's Gift

AN- Sorry it's been a minute, to all you fans out there. (All… two... of you… crap.) Oh well. Sorry to whomever reads this. I am working on like four or five fics at a time, while working full time and schooling full time. So bite me if I update too slowly. Eh, don't mind me. I'm writing this at work, and I'm having a really shitty night. So anyhow, before I rant any further, on with the story.

* * *

"I can't believe we're lost."

Klyde grinned and shook his head as they walked down a dirt path. "Well, I guess you don't have a good imagination, then. Cause, I believe it."

Klyde and James had been wandering around for hours, and the landscape looked familiar. There were mountains surrounding the small valley they were walking down. It was starting to get late, and James was starting to get worried. He had heard the howl of wolves in the mountains, and he had a haunting vision of the creatures coming down once the moon had risen, with hungry eyes and drooling fangs. He shivered unconsciously as they continued to trek down the road.

Klyde noticed James's discomfort and gave him a smile. "Don't worry, once the night falls, we'll be able to see the stars. Then I can figure out where we… Hm. Haven't seen that before…"

James followed Klyde's gaze, and noticed a small cave carved out of the base of a nearby mountain. Klyde motioned toward it with his dagger. "We ain't got anything to lose, do we? Let's go check this place out." James had given up arguing with Klyde and just hung his head as he followed him toward the cave entrance.

* * *

The key to good thieving was silence. Silence and cover. Although cover would not be necessary here, from what the rumors were saying. Something had happened to the witch, Matoya, and apparently she had lost her sight. So all he had to worry about was being heard.

Thieves were class-gifted, even though they were not held in as high regard as the other gifted in society. While a fighter or a mage being born would be a cause for celebration, the arrival of a thief into a family was usually an ill omen. Born with extreme speed and cunning, but also a terrible disposition, the thief usually led a troubled life. No matter how strong they got, their forms were always slight, and their attitude always dark. One such person now sat perched in the high outcroppings of the witch Matoya's cave. He had heard rumors of a blind witch in a cave to the north, and the treasure she had hidden. One would have to be a fool not to go in for such an easy payday.

From his high vantage point, the thief had been spying on Matoya's actions throughout the day. She finally appeared to be packing it in, however. _Finally…_ the thief thought. He watched as the witch disappeared into the shadows, leaving her treasure chest ripe for the picking. The thief waited three seconds for the look of it, and then swung down, using his quick speed to dart to the chest. He used his knife to pry open the lock, taking great care not to make any noise. He may be impatient, but he wasn't dumb.

The lid slowly opened, and the thief peered inside with open eyes in anticipation. _Will it be a valuable item? Or maybe a magical artifact? Maybe its just Gil…_ His eyes fell as he saw the treasure.

"That's right, young man. Its just a potion."

The thief spun around in shock. "What the…!"

Behind him stood Matoya, a stern expression on her face. "Were you expecting something more, Devon?…"

The thief known as Devon nearly choked in surprise. "How did you…?"

"I'm not called a witch for nothing. You think I wouldn't know you were coming?"

Devon tried to stammer out a response, but only stood there with his mouth hanging open. He heard voices from outside and snapped back into reality. He let out a low growl as he shoved his way past the witch and fled from the cave.

"I'm telling you, James, there is nothing to worry about in this cave. Why are you… hey!"

Klyde and James had just walked into the entrance of the cave as Devon tried to escape, elbowing Klyde in the stomach as he fled. Klyde slowly stood up as he tried to regain his breath.

"Who the hell was that?"

Matoya walked up to the two heroes and smiled. "Welcome. I have been expecting you two."

Klyde looked up at the witch and furrowed his brow. "You've been expecting us? But… how? We haven't been expecting us! We got lost. We weren't supposed to be here."

The witch gave Klyde a small smile. "You are here, aren't you? I would count that as supposed to. If you weren't supposed to be here, you wouldn't be here. Rather simple, I think."

James scratched his head. "Ummm… if you say so. We really just need directions."

Matoya patted James on the shoulder. "Of course, dear. Don't we all just need directions?"

James hung his head. There was only so much mumbo jumbo a guy could take. "Please. We need to get to Provoca. There is trouble there."

Matoya nodded. "Ah, yes. Pirates have taken over that poor town. You boys are right. You should get down there as soon as possible."

Klyde had a thoughtful look on his face. "If only there was someway to look at a map or something…"

One of Matoya's brooms went by, and a high pitched voice rang out, "tceles b hsup". Klyde gave the broom a confused look. He turned to Matoya and asked, "What the hell did that thing just say?"

Matoya shook her head, grinning inwardly. "Um, nothing. Don't worry about it. You wouldn't understand. Let me give you something to help you find your way."

The old witch began to rummage through several dusty crates, throwing all manner of junk to the side. Klyde took the moment to actually take a good look at his host, and noticed something peculiar. Even though she was inspecting all of the goods, her eyes were tightly shut. Since they had entered, she hadn't opened her eyes once.

"Umm, how can you see with your eyes shut like that?"

Matoya stood up with a small gem in her hand and gave Klyde a soft smile. "An evil creature stole my eyes. Now, I can no longer see, as you know the term. I use my powers and intuition to take in my surroundings now."

James frowned. _Such a horrible fate…_ "A monster? What sort of monster would do something such as steal one's sight?"

"Astos… the dark elf. He is a creature of great cunning and cruelty. He was once ousted by the elves, and now lives in an abandoned part of Elfland. In my younger years, I was a thorn in Astos' side, and this was my punishment."

Klyde rubbed the back of his neck. "That's terrible!"

"Indeed, but that isn't the point. Here." Matoya handed Klyde the gem and nodded. "You will need this on your journey."

Klyde took the gem and frowned. "And what am I supposed to do with this?" The witch merely smiled, giving him an expectant look. Suddenly, the gem began to glow, and a picture imprinted itself in Klyde's mind. It was a picture of the entire world from an aerial viewpoint. At the tip of a continent, there was a glowing dot. Matoya nodded with a smile on her face.

"Ah, you see the map, yes, young one?"

Klyde shook his head in amazement. Whenever he closed his eyes, he could see the map like it was burned across the inside of his eyelids. _This will definitely take some getting used to…_

"The glowing dot is your position. Can you see it?"

Klyde mutely nodded.

"Good. There is a path to the east, yes?"

Another nod.

"Follow that path, and it will lead you to Provoca."

James had been inspecting a few items off to the side. He put down a strange device and frowned. "Why are you helping us?"

Matoya grunted slightly as she sat down on a stone bench. She shook her head with a sad expression. "Such distrust… what a world we live in nowadays… I simply see that you may help me one day in the future."

Klyde shrugged and grinned at James. "Don't sweat it, dude. What does it matter why she wants to help us? The fact is, she wants to help us. I say booyah. Now we can get to Provoca, yea?"

James nodded, although with some hesitation. "I guess so… I just don't believe in taking candy from strangers, you know?"

Klyde slapped James on the back and laughed. "That may be, but its not candy we're getting. It's a magical artifact. Totally different ballgame, dude."

James hung his head. Sometimes he wondered why he even bothered.

* * *

The young monk sighed. His worst fears had been realized. They had continued their quest, and now it was dark. To make matters worse, the howling of the wolves was getting closer. It was only a matter of time until pointy-fanged death jumped out from behind a tree or rock. And the worst part by far, Klyde was walking onward, oblivious to the certain peril.

"Um, Klyde… I think we have a…"

"A problem. Yes, I know." The fighter interrupted. James was taken aback. He had thought his companion to not be paying attention.

"There are four wolves ahead of us, and three waiting to flank us. These wolves are pretty smart."

James suddenly found it hard to blink. Somehow, Klyde never ceased to amaze him.

"They're trying to back us into a corner. Old hunting pincer maneuver."

"Ummm, we're gonna die, aren't we?"

Klyde gave his partner a grim smile. "Well, I won't pretty this up. They have us right where they want us. But they don't have my cunning or good looks, now do they?"

James numbly shook his head no. Death looming so close suddenly made the world feel extremely far away.

"Right. So we just have to use that to our advantage. If we slow down, they'll know we're onto them, yes?"

Silent nod.

"So we don't slow down. Continue like everything is normal."

Silent nod.

"Eventually their grip on us will tighten as they all inch closer, yea?"

Nervous nod.

"When that happens, we strike with all we have while they're bunched together!"

Even more nervous nod.

"So, in all theory, we have absolutely nothing to fear but fear itself, right?"

James took a moment to think that one over.

"Nothing to fear but fear itself?"

"Exactly."

"Um… what about a terribly painful death?"

"Well…"

"Or how about a slow excruciating death by starvation trapped in some well?"

"I think…"

"What about Michael Jackson?"

Klyde gave his partner a disapproving look. "Dude, that's wrong."

"Well, its true. He has gotten pretty scary."

"Just because he is in the media's eye at the moment, doesn't give us the right to poke fun."

James hung his head as they marched on, the fear of death by powerful jaws momentarily forgotten. Klyde found himself unable to hold back a grin.

"So, uh, how many children does it take to screw in a light bulb at the Neverland ranch?"

James gave his friend an incredulous stare, and let out a quick gasp. The wolves had gotten much closer in the last few minutes. He made frantic motions to his partner, images of a painful death flooding his mind once again. Klyde nodded, grabbing the hilt of his sword at his hip.

"You ready?" He whispered.

* * *

AN- Isn't that a fun place to end a chapter? Hee. And yes, I had to go in for the Michael gag. It wouldn't be popular entertainment if I didn't. Hope no one gets too upset. Just some light hearted fun that was directed to today's media interest just as much as the actual pedoph…. Excuse me. Alleged and proven innocent, therefore _accused_ pedophile. World of a difference. Ahem. I should have a new chapter up two weeks at most, where the boys will face down these terrible wolves, and maybe even make it to Provoca. And what of Devon, the thief wonder? I suppose you'll just have to keep reading to find out. Leave me a review, and if you have any questions, drop me an email or leave one in a review. Check out my profile for the address. Peace! 


	7. Biggs and Wedge Strike!

Klyde and James stood back to back, preparing for the inevitable. Wolves had a tendency to circle their prey, sizing up the situation before attacking. James was practically dripping with sweat as he waited for the attack. _Why did it have to be wolves?… Man… anything but wolves…_

There was a low murmur from the wolves, and then a tension broke in the air. As one, the pack lunged, fangs bared as they assaulted their potential meal. Klyde reacted first, leaping into the air with the Aeolus drawn, his blade nothing more than a blur as he began to cut through the creatures.

James gulped, his fears getting the best of him. One wolf got too close for comfort, and the black belt lashed out with a poorly aimed punch. Another wolf jumped out behind him, raking its claws into his back. James let out a whimper as he rolled to the side, avoiding the whirlwind of fangs and paws. He realized his breathing was a little too fast and he closed his eyes. Using a quick meditation trick he had learned from Thaddeus, he focused his soul and calmed his spirit.

As he concentrated, all the wolves surrounded him, jumping at him in unison from all sides. His eyes shot open, and a small aura of ki built up around his hands. "Spin fist!" He yelled as he spun around with his arms extended, his fists smashing into several snouts at the same time. There were a few scattered whimpers as the wolves backed up, now cautious of what appeared to be easy prey.

James turned to see how his partner was doing. Klyde had a big grin on his face as he smacked the hindquarters of the last wolf, sending the monster running off with a yelp. The pack of lupines disappeared into the night, and the two heroes continued their journey.

* * *

The walled town of Provoca. Ironically, the same walls that once protected their city, now kept them hostage. The entranceway at the front of the city was guarded by two pirates, and from what could be seen, there were several patrols walking around the interior of the city. Klyde shook his head from his vantage point behind some heavy brush.

"This place is locked up tight. What are we gonna do? There's gotta be a way in…"

Klyde stroked his chin for a moment, and then turned to James. "I have a great idea." He put his hand on James' shoulder and smiled. "If you don't hear from me in… say… an hour… you just rush the place, alright?"

James stared at Klyde, his mouth hanging out. "You're not serious, are you?"

Klyde flashed James a cheesy grin. "I'm always serious, aren't I?" He waved to him as he ran off towards the wall. James shook his head as he watched him run off. "That idiot is gonna get himself killed…"

* * *

Klyde approached the wall, craning his neck to view the top of the structure. He let out a whistle, shook his head, and laughed at himself. "I hope this works…" he mused to himself as he pulled out his sword. He closed his eyes, and the crystal in the hilt glowed softly.

He steeled his nerves, muttered a quick prayer, and swung the sword downward. The young fighter jumped into the air, a gust of wind boosting him enough to reach the lip of the wall. He reached out and grabbed the edge, hoisting himself over.

Klyde landed in a crouch, attempting to make as little noise as possible. He checked around quickly for any more guards, and ran into an alley.

* * *

The citizens of Provoca had all been squeezed into the main building of the town. Even in the larger halls of the inn, most of the people were cramped in the three different guest rooms. Downstairs, a lone pirate dozed lightly with his feet up on the innkeeper's desk.

"Argh! I can't stand this!" A beautiful young girl in a white robe smashed her fist into a desk, shattering any illusions of this being the typical "virtuous, mild, flower of a woman" stereotype.

"The nerve of these pirates…" She growled under her breath, standing up suddenly. The other inhabitants of the room looked at her in shock. One of the older women dropped to her knees in front of the younger girl.

"Please, Amber… don't cause a fuss! You may be a gifted… but who knows what these pirates may do! What if they hurt the children?"

The girl known as Amber tried to put on her most reassuring smile. It wasn't very good. "Don't worry, ma'am. I have the power of white magic on my side. These stupid pirates won't know what hit them!"

The older woman shook her head in worry as the young white mage, Amber, stormed down the stairs.

* * *

The sleeping pirate jumped up as he heard the sounds of heavy footsteps. He scooped up his rapier and put it into between himself and the fiery young woman.

"What are you doing out of your room? We aren't done looting yet!"

The threat didn't even slow Amber down as she slipped her mace out from her sleeve, walked directly up to the pirate, and slammed it down onto his head. The unfortunate pirate slumped to the ground without a sound.

"Right." She said to herself, opening the door a fraction, looking for any more pirates. Seeing none immediately, she crept through the doorway and set off to find their leader.

* * *

Biggs chuckled to himself as he suppressed a yawn, comfortably seated on a plush chair in the mayor's house. Being a pirate was a good job, he decided. Leave the risk to the lackeys, free treasure, and great booze. _I could really get used to this, _he decided.

Suddenly, his lieutenant busted into the room, breathing heavily. "Um, sir… I mean, captain… we have a situation outside. You should come out here…"

Biggs raised an eyebrow at his subordinate. "I should go out there?… " he let the pause hang in the air for a moment. Suddenly he let his anger explode, frightening the other pirate. "Then why the hell do I have lackeys! Get the fuck back out there and deal with it!"

The lieutenant scrambled backwards out of the door, muttering apologies as he fled. The angry look instantly melted of Biggs face and he treated himself to a big grin. "You're getting better at this, old boy." He congratulated himself as he put his head back and closed his eyes.

* * *

Klyde crawled along the rooftops with the skill of a cat burglar, keeping low to avoid detection. Fighters were not only known for the strength, but thankfully for their agility as well. Klyde felt at home among the rafters and roofs of the higher altitude, and the wind in his hair was definitely pleasant.

"It was really a good idea to leave James behind on this one…" Klyde muttered to himself. "He would have pooped himself if he had to come up here." He had no proof, but James certainly seemed like the type to hate heights.

He looked down at the pirates patrolling the area, and counted under his breath. _Nine pirates total…_ Klyde grinned inwardly, taking back what he said about leaving James behind. Even for a gifted, nine was a bit much.

_Maybe if I catch them at specific intervals… that way I only have to take one or two at a time…_

"Hey! Assholes! Its time you all got the hell out of here!"

Klyde's ears perked up, and he swung his head toward the source of the sound. A young girl in white robes had elbowed her way past a patrol, and had come up to a taller looking man that seemed to be in charge.

"You heard me, didn't you!"

The tall pirate shook his head. "I heard. But I don't believe. You mean to tell me that you plan on taking us all down alone?"

Amber finally took in her surroundings. She frowned slightly, tightening her grip on her mace. _Maybe this wasn't the best idea…well, too late for regrets…_

Just as Amber went to swing, a loud voice boomed out from among the rooftops.

"You guys would beat up on a poor, defenseless hottie? What kind of jerks are you guys?"

A figure dropped down from a roof, performing a cool-looking flip as he came down. As he landed, however, he slipped on a bit of garbage and smashed into the pavement. He quickly hopped up and grinned, however. Amber gave her would-be rescuer with a heavy glare.

"Great. Of all the people who could have saved me, it had to be the dumbest one." She declared with her hands on her hips.

Klyde went to mouth off a retort, and stopped as he met her eyes. _Damn she's hot…_ "Umm.. well… uh… you're… the… dumbest…" he stumbled through his insult, certain features of the female anatomy stealing away his attention.

Amber let out an impatient sigh. "Really good comeback. Now, are you gonna help me or not? We have to save these people!"

Klyde nodded, pulling himself back into reality. Unfortunately, reality consisted of nine people with rapiers.

"Alright!" He pulled out his Aeolus and put on his best hero smile. "You pirates are going down!" Amber rolled her eyes at his attempt at heroics. She had heard better lines in comic books.

What happened next, however, definitely surprised. Klyde dashed at the group of pirates with a speed no one had expected. As rapiers came up to attack, his great sword cut through them as if they were butter. Several of the pirates dropped to the ground as well, limbs being caught up in the hero's lightning quick progress. Soon, all that stood were Klyde and the taller pirate. The pirate growled, pulling out a strange devise from a sheath of some sort on his hip.

"It's obvious swordplay isn't the way to go with you… eat lead!" The pirate pulled a lever on the strange contraption, which Klyde noticed was shaped almost like a sort of crossbow. Instead of an arrow, however, there was a long tube at the end that ejected some sort of strange… metal… pellet…

"Ah!" Klyde screamed out as the pellet ripped into his arm, sending blood out from either side. He dropped his sword, clutching at the wound, as the pirate came up to him, sneering down at the wounded fighter.

"This is called a 'gun'. A buddy of mine is heavy into mechanics and made this for me. It beats out both magic and weapons with no trouble whatsoever… Soon, you stupid 'gifteds' will be nothing more than a thing of the past!" Klyde gulped as the barrel of the 'gun' was pressed up in between his eyes. All of his vision seemed to center around the meal tube against his head, and he felt a slight tingle where it was pressed.

"And just so you know the name of your killer, dear gifted, my name is Wedge."

Everything in the universe seemed to melt away for Klyde, except for the looming presence of the strange weapon. Time seemed to slow to a halt as he waited for the loud explosion sound that preceded an attack from the weapon.

There was a loud crashing sound, and the gun slipped away from his head. His whole body cringed, preparing itself for death. When nothing terribly interesting happened, he risked opening his eyes. Wedge was lying, crumpled on the ground. Behind him, Amber pulled back her mace with a contented smile on her face. She gave Klyde a wry grin.

"Boom." She said softly. Despite himself, Klyde flinched. Then he remembered the searing pain in his arm. Amber walked up, put her hand over the wound, and concentrated. A soft glow emanated from the hands, and she whispered the word, "Cure."

When the light faded, there was no marking to show the gunshot had even happened. Klyde sat up with a grin, flexing his arm. He turned to Amber and gave a half hearted bow.

"I think this is the beginning of a beautiful relationship."

Amber rolled her eyes yet again.

Meanwhile, James looked up at the position of the sun. "Do you think it's been an hour yet?" he mused to himself.

* * *

AN- Another chapter in the bank. Sweet! Hopefully these will keep flowing as well as they have lately. Stay tuned, and review, people! I want some more feedback! Hope everyone likes all the stupid little Final Fantasy series refrences! 


	8. Returning Favors

AN- I realize it has been a small while since my last update. Hope no one is too upset. As you remember, last time we ended with Klyde meeting the lovely and daring White Mage, Amber, as they put an end to the reign of bandits in Provoca. And James is still sitting on the hill, waiting for Klyde's signal. Here we go.

* * *

Biggs looked around the mayor's room nervously. It had been too quiet for the past hour. He jumped out of his seat and dashed to the window. "W….where are the patrols?…" He scanned the streets wildly as he looked for any sign of his pirates. The sound of the doorknob rattling brought all of his frightened attention around in a heartbeat. 

"Who…. who's there?"

The door suddenly burst open, and Klyde grinned as he walked in. "Good afternoon, fruity!"

Biggs fell to the floor, and a high-pitched squeal escaped from his lips. "Who are you?…"

Klyde bent down next to him, bringing his face next to Biggs' and smiling. "Its really not that important. What is important is that I was hired to kick the hell out of you and your men."

Biggs managed to give Klyde a menacing look. "What have you done with my men?"

Klyde stood up and shrugged. "Don't worry. Most of them will live. But they will be severely disinclined to attack anymore helpless villages." Klyde pulled out the Aeolus in a slow motion, making a drawn-out scraping sound. Once the sword was free, he pointed the blade at Biggs' throat. "So now I have a question for you. Why should I let you live?"

"AH! I'm sorry! Please! Don't kill me!" He got to his hands and knees and groveled at Klyde's feet.

Klyde stroked his chin as he contemplated the issue. "Tell me something. How did you guys get here?"

Biggs' eyes went wide. "No! Not my ship! Anything but my ship!"

Klyde dropped his sword down to Biggs' crotch. "Anything?"

Biggs hung his head. "Fine…" he muttered in a defeated voice. "Take it, just leave."

Klyde put away the sword and nodded. "Sweet. Now I'm going to let some of the villagers in here, and they may not be so forgiving. Enjoy!" Klyde waved over his shoulder as he walked out of the room. Several of the villagers walked in, locking the door behind them. Biggs' eyes went wide with terror.

"Wh….what are you going to do?… No!… no!"

Klyde chuckled to himself from behind the locked door. He turned to Amber and smiled. "Hey, listen. Thanks for the assist back there. I've never seen a weapon like the one that pirate had. What did he call it again?"

Amber shrugged. "I think he called it a gun. I've never seen it either."

There was an awkward moment of silence as the two avoided each other's eyes. Then they both spun back around, speaking at the same time.

"Listen, I was wondering if…"  
"I was kinda thinking…"

They both stopped and grinned at each other. Klyde rubbed the back of his neck.

"Sorry. You go first."

Amber began to blush slightly. Noticing it, she growled softly to herself and shook her head, clearing the redness away. She put on a nonchalant face and coughed. "I was, uh… wondering where you would go from here…"

Klyde smiled. "That's easy. We head back to Corneria to report to the king."

Amber raised an eyebrow. "We?"

Klyde's eyes shot open. "Oh crap! I forgot!" He turned and dashed toward the city gates. Amber, unsure of what was going on, gave chase.

* * *

Meanwhile, outside the city walls, James sat on the same hill, having an argument with himself. 

"Should I go in there? … But what if he got captured? … Well, then I should go help him… But what if I get captured? … Maybe I should go get help…"

He was interrupted as Klyde ran up the hill. "There you are, numbskull!"

James stood up and gave Klyde a puzzled look. "You mean, you're not dead or captured?"

Klyde nodded. "Ummm. Yea. I'm fine."

James smiled. "Well, that's good. But, uh, why didn't you come tell me?"

Klyde grinned sheepishly as they began to walk back. "Well… I uh, I kinda forgot."

"You forgot about me? How the hell could you forget about me?"

Amber had just exited the city and was walking towards them. Klyde put his arm around James shoulder and smiled. "I was just getting to that part. Her name is Amber. If you'd have met her first, you woulda forgotten you too."

* * *

The sea air had a much different smell than the normal stuff. For one thing, it was much saltier. Klyde grinned as he took in another lungful. _Man, I could get used to this stuff…_Sailing hadn't been as hard as he had expected. He had appointed himself captain, and sailing turned out to be as simple as yelling at James until he got the damn boat going. Now he was sitting on the deck, sipping a small glass of beer. The townsfolk of Provoca had been nice enough to give them supplies for their journey. Now the castle Corneria could be seen over the horizon. They were almost home. 

"Hey, Captain!" Klyde was pulled out of his thoughts. He turned around to see Amber with her hands on her hips.

"What's the matter, first mate?" Klyde had dubbed her first mate because… well, you can probably guess why. And yes, he was grinning when he did so.

'First mate' Amber shook her head. "The swabbie got himself caught up in all of those ropes again."

Klyde laughed softly to himself. "I guess some people just aren't cut out for life on the water." He patted the empty chair next to him. "He'll work it out. Come on, take a seat, have a drink."

Amber rolled her eyes. "Someone has to make sure the ship lands safely." She said as she stalked off.

"Why can't the swabbie do it?" He yelled after her. But she was gone. "Damn." He shrugged, took another sip of beer, and leaned back. _It sure is lonely at the top…

* * *

_

"Well, once again, the two of you have succeeded fabulously. Marvelous work!" The king of Corneria clapped his hands together with a warm smile on his face. Amber cleared her throat. He turned his attention on her.

"And you, young lady. You have my thanks as well."

Amber nodded, gave a small curtsy and turned toward Klyde and James. "So, what's next for you two wonder boys?"

James stepped forward and scratched his head. "I was thinking… the old witch that helped us… maybe we should give her a hand."

Amber frowned. "What old witch?"

Klyde nodded. "There was an old witch we ran into on the way to Provoca, and if it wasn't for her, we would have never made it in time to help." He shook his head, frowning slightly. "But that map thing makes it hard to sleep. Every time I close my eyes I see that damn map."

Amber tried to hide and grin and turned back to James. "Well, what does she need help with?"

James crossed his arms and sighed. "She's blind. Apparently, someone known as Astos took her eyes."

King Corneria sat up, his ears twitching to attention. "Did you say Astos?"

James nodded. "I'm pretty sure. Something like Astos. Why?"

King Corneria stroked his beard. "There was someone named Astos living in Elfland a while back. But he put the Prince of the elves to sleep with some sort of advanced magic. The rest of the elves branded him 'the Dark Elf' and exiled him."

"So where is he now?"

The king shrugged. "I have no idea. Perhaps the prince's retainer, Teresse, could hint you in."

James furrowed his brow. "Teresse? I've heard that name before…"

Amber smiled. "That's a name I haven't heard in years. She's an older elf. The most powerful elf alive. She's the one who taught me how to use my powers. She teaches most mages."

Klyde scratched his head. "You mean most white mages, right?"

Amber shook her head. "Nope. All mages in general. She has the power of both white and black magic."

"Can that happen?"

"It is possible. A rare fraction of gifteds are born with power over both forms of magic. They also can use swords with a decent amount of skill. Sort of a jack of all trades. They go by the title of red mages."

Klyde grinned. "Really? Sounds like those guys are invincible!"

Amber brushed her brown hair out of her eyes. "Not quite. They can use both types of magic, but their power is considerably weaker than either a black or white mage. And while they can handle swords, they aren't amongst the best. They can do anything, they just aren't the best at anything."

Klyde nodded. "I see. So this red mage elf that taught you is the one we have to go see?"

"Yep. It would seem so. Elfland is across the ocean to the south."

James clapped his hands together and smiled. "Awesome, when do we leave?"

* * *

The young black belt shook his head as he struggled with several ropes on the sail. _Me and my big mouth. Couldn't we have at least waited a night before we left?_ Klyde had decided there was no time like the present. _Easy for him to say… he just sits on the deck and drinks… I have to do all the work. Jerk…

* * *

_

Several hours later found the three heroes docking at the ports of Elfland. The town itself was surrounded by thick forest, and the woods were surprisingly quiet. At one point Klyde caught a glimpse of movement to his side. When he turned, there was nothing. Amber followed his field of vision.

"Elven hunters patrol this forest. That's why we haven't run into any monsters or bandits. The forest keeps the elves close to nature, and doubles as a defensive wall for the city. We're being watched by a hunter right now. They make sure no aggressive forces get through. If they think you're a threat, you'll never make it through alive. These guys know this forest like the back of their hands."

Klyde made a mental note to not cause any disturbances during his stay at Elfland. _Guess that means no trips to the pubs… damn.

* * *

_

The prince of Elfland lay on a decorated bed, his eyes locked closed in an eternal sleep. The great mage Teresse looked down upon her charge with a great sadness. For several months now, Prince Zarhan had been held in a deep magical sleep. His face had an unnatural paleness to it.

"I can save him! Allow me to quest for the great herb!"

A younger elf, wearing a red hat with a large white feather in it growled as he slammed his fist into the wall. He had a flowing black cape and a red suit on, and there was a rapier sheathed on his side. His hair was a silvery white, despite his young age. The effect was one of elegance, but that was shattered as his temper flared. Teresse shook her head and turned toward the younger elf.

"Now, Lee. You understand that we don't know where the great herb is located. If we knew, we would have obtained it and awoken the prince already. You must exercise patience!"

The young elf known as Lee growled again. "We cannot afford to be patient any longer! There are rumors of an old wizard hiding out in an old castle to the north. He claims to be able to wake the prince!"

Teresse sighed. "There is no proof of that. Chances are he is nothing more than a babbling old fool."

"But there is a chance! I'm going to find out what this old man knows!" And with that, Lee stormed out of the room, stopping to give Klyde an icy glare as the group entered. Klyde shrugged it off and approached the old elf mage. She smiled softly and bowed her head.

"My apologizes, travelers. He means well, but he finds himself incapable of any action. He clings to hope. But I do not mean to burden you with our troubles…"

"Teresse!" Amber ran forward, giving the older mage a large hug.

Teresse gave her ex-student a warm smile. "Oh my…. Young one! I haven't seen you for ages! How have you been?…"

"I've been well. What just happened back there?"

Teresse's smile faded into a troubled frown. "Lee is a promising young warrior. One of the better ones we have now. His brother was my prized student Tewks."

Amber stared at her teacher with wide eyes. "He is the little brother of the great Tewks?"

"Indeed. It is something that has overshadowed him his entire life. He always finds himself struggling to prove himself without using his brother's reputation. It is rather unfortunate. The only thing that keeps him from rising above his shackles is his own self-esteem."

Klyde crossed his arms and frowned. "If this Tewks guy is so great, where the hell is he?"

Teresse let out a deep sigh, obviously reliving some sort of painful memory. "He, too, left to look for the great herb. If it is not found soon, all of the prince's muscles will atrophy. Lee may have been speaking rashly, but his thinking is correct. We no longer have any time. Now we must hope that he succeeds where his brother has so far failed."

Amber's face was devoid of the vibrant energy it normally held. Now she wore a mask of quiet contemplation. She seemed to come to a decision, took Teresse's hand, and gave her old teacher a small smile.

"I shall help find it. If I catch up with Lee, I may be able to lend support."

Teresse closed her eyes, and felt Amber out with her magic. After a moment's examination, she opened her eyes and nodded. "Your magic abilities have gotten stronger. You may be able to help."

Amber nodded to herself, and then turned to Klyde and James. "I hate to ask, but could you guys…"

"Yes!" Klyde cut in. James turned to him with his mouth hung open.

"Yes? But… what about our goal? I thought we were gunning for Astos?"

Teresse focused on them and frowned. "You seek the dark elf?"

James nodded. "He has something we want returned."

"I see. If you two accompany Amber, I will lead you to your prey."

Klyde smiled. "There. See? We save sleeping ugly, and we get our info. Sweet deal all around!" _And I get to help out the mega-hottie. Sweet deal indeed!_

James cracked his knuckles. "For once, we agree." He turned to Amber and bowed his head. "We shall accompany you, and we'll do what we can to assist this Lee."

Amber's face broke into a grin. "Thanks, guys! With you two wonder boys, we should be able to help Lee and save the Elven prince!" With that, she ran out of the room, eager to be of some help to her former master.

Klyde and James began to follow suit, and James shook his head. "It still feels like something big is starting… like the makings of a legend or something…"

Klyde frowned and turned to his partner as they stepped into the sunlight. "And you're still an idiot. We're just going to help out a hottie. It's not like it's the fate of the world or anything."

* * *

The town of Elfland surrounding the castle was normally full of life and activity, but the mood in the air was a somber one. Without their leader, the proud elf race felt no joy for the everyday. The rare elves that wandered from their homes walked slowly and quietly, as if in no particular rush to reach their destination. 

Amber was waiting for them at the entrance to the town. "Well, according to the woman at the item shop, Lee left to the south, muttering something about a cave of marshes. Sounds like that's our destination."

Klyde nodded. "Well then, let's check it out!"

Klyde and Amber left the town, and James stopped. "I still can't shake this feeling… this is gonna be something big…" He muttered as he began to follow.

* * *

AN- Yay! New chapter completed! Took me a little while, as I just finished my final week of college. Now I have to focus my energies on a big move, so I may be away from my fics for a small while. But don't worry, loyal fans! I won't give up. A new chapter will be up as soon as I have a free moment. Leave me reviews so I know what you guys think! Enjoy! 


	9. Wizards and Wraiths

AN- Okay, new chapter up, everyone. I know it's a little later than I said, (like, a whole day later), but at least it is up. I was way too drunk yesterday to finish this chapter. As I explained to all my Dragonball Z fans, I have started up a newsletter. Probably every week or so, I send it out, explaining what is happening in my life at that moment regarding my fanfiction. I talk about how the writing is going, release dates, and ideas I may have if I am stuck. If you wish to be added on to the mailing list, please tell me so in a review.

* * *

"Guys, I am not going down there."

Klyde gave James a wiseass smirk. "You think you aren't going down there. Get it right."

James peered down at the hole that had rotted out of the ground. It was wide enough to climb down into it, but the smell that emanated from it discouraged any sort of train of thought regarding it. _Besides… it looks dark and scary in there…_

The black belt felt a hand press itself between his shoulder blades. "Now, you have a choice, my friend. Either you go in of your own accord and look heroic, or I push you in and you look dumb. Which will it be?"

James shut his eyes, already aware of the outcome of this scenario. "Can't I look heroic while you go in first?"

Amber gave James a worried look. "You know, it would probably be safer if you climbed down carefully as opposed to letting him push you in."

James gave her a pleading look. "Can't you stop him?"

The white mage shook her head. "Afraid not. And you know he'll push you."

At this point, Klyde nodded enthusiastically. James sighed. "Fine, I guess I'll…"

"Too late!" Klyde shoved James, sending him falling forward into the hole fast first. The unbearable smell of the marsh rose up to meet him, nearly ripping the consciousness out of him. Then his side smashed into some rocks, and that nearly took the consciousness out of him. He rolled to a stop on the hard ground, trying to adjust his eyes to the gloom. Then, with a cry, Klyde jumped down, landing on him, and knocked the consciousness out of him.

* * *

"Why do I have to carry him? Its not my fault he got knocked out!"

Amber spun around on Klyde. "Yes! Yes it is your fault! You pushed him down the shaft, and then you jumped onto him!"

Klyde grinned. "Well, yea. But its his fault he got knocked out. He should have trained harder."

Amber sighed. She turned to look back the way she came, but the light was nearly nonexistent. It was impossible to see more than a few meters from the way they had come. "Are you sure we're going the right way? It doesn't seem like we're getting anywhere…"

Klyde gave his female companion a cheesy smile. "Of course I'm sure this is the right way! I have an outstanding sense of direction. I've never steered us wrong before, you know?"

Amber smacked herself in the forehead as they came up to a dead-end. "Well then, how do you explain this?"

The fighter dropped his companion on the floor and pointed down towards the ground. "There. We came here to get this!" Sure enough, there was a small treasure chest on the ground. It had once been made of gold and wood, but now the gold had varnished, and the wood had begun to rot. It had been locked, but one swing from Amber's mace solved that problem. The two adventurers peered inside, only to find…

"Way to go, genius. There's only 5 gil in here."

Klyde hung his head. "Damn. Oh well. There was a fork in the road a little ways back. Maybe it was the other way…"

"Quiet! Do you hear that?" Amber hissed in a low tone of voice.

As is always the case in these sort of situations, Klyde loudly responded. "Hear what?"

After his reply stopped echoing, Amber concentrated, closing her eyes. In the distance, she could hear what sounded like…

"Wraiths! It sounds like three of them! We need to get out of here!"

Klyde scooped up James, and the party broke into a run, trying to make it back to the fork. Suddenly, there was a sound like air being sliced. Klyde stopped just in time to avoid getting cut in two by a very large scythe. Once again James was thrown to the ground as Klyde drew the Aeolus.

"No, Klyde! Don't! You can't hurt them with your sword!"

Klyde grinned as he dashed toward the grim-reaper like specter. "Nonsense! I can hurt anything with my sword!" Klyde brought his sword down in an overhead fashion, but the wraith had suddenly shifted to the right. _I didn't even see that thing move…_The hero threw out several more swings, but the result was still the same. He barely brought his weapon in front of his face in time to block the scythe as it swung around for a counter attack.

This went on for a few minutes, Klyde throwing out everything he had, and the wraith easily dodging it. Eventually the fighter caught on, and instead of blocking the incoming scythe, he rolled to the side, bringing the Aeolus up and through the ghostly creature. He gave his opponent a triumphant smile, but it was short lived. The sword had gone right through the creature, and hadn't done the slightest bit of damage. Before Klyde could react, the blunt end of the wraith's weapon came around, connecting with his jaw.

Amber rolled her eyes as Klyde flew into a wall, temporarily stunned. The rest of the wraiths had appeared, and they were surrounding their prey. She had almost finished her incantation. Just as the wraiths drew near the fallen fighter, she threw up her hands. "Harm!" She cried. White light seemed to spawn from nowhere, focusing on the wraiths. Where the light hit, smoke began to issue forth from the creature's robes. They began to shrink smaller and smaller until they eventually became nothing.

Klyde looked up with wide, unbelieving eyes at his companion. "I thought you were into that healing stuff? Where did you get a destruction spell from?"

"Those creatures are of the undead variety. In a pinch, white magic can be used to destroy dark foes."

Klyde nodded as he picked up James, not fully comprehending. "Sure, whatever. Time to wake wussy boy up." With his free hand he slapped the black belt in the face. A slight groan escaped from his lips as his eyes slowly began to open.

"Where are we?"

"We're still in the Marsh Caves."

James frowned. "Couldn't you have waited till we got out to wake me?"

"No. I'm tired of carrying you."

"But you broke one of my ribs!"

Klyde turned to Amber with a sheepish grin. She rolled her eyes, threw up her hands, and muttered, "Cure."

A faint aura surrounded James as the magick began to heal his wounds. He rubbed his ribs and shook his head. "I feel a bit better, but they still hurt when I move."

Klyde slapped him on the back. "Don't worry so much. Now, c'mon. We have to find that Lee guy." James winced at the contact and sighed. The party turned around and began to retrace their steps.

* * *

"Now, Klyde… you're sure you know where you're going?"

"I told you, I have an outstanding sense of direction…"

Amber sighed softly to herself. "We're lost again, aren't we?"

Klyde shook his head with a thoughtful look on his face. "No… definitely not. I always know where I am…"

James frowned. "Yeah? Then where are we?"

Klyde's brow furrowed in the strains of thought. "Umm… I'll have to get back to you on that…"

_I can definitely see how he could get lost…_ Amber looked around at the surroundings, which consisted of nothing more than slimy walls in terrible lighting. There were no milestones to keep track of, and the paths were winding and long. As they continued to press on, a small staircase leading down came into view. She nudged Klyde and pointed at it. "What about those stairs?"

Klyde shrugged. _Like we could get any more lost that we already are… Couldn't hurt._

Out loud, he said, "Sure, lets check it out. James, you go first."

James went to argue, and then thought better of it. _Last time I argued, I ended up breaking my ribs. I'm probably better off with whatever is down there then dealing with Klyde… _He hung his head and sulked as he slowly climbed down the stairs.

As he reached the bottom of the stairwell, a bright light stung his eyes. Once he got used to the light, he took in his surroundings in awe. Instead of the cramped hallways they had been in, the lower floor opened into a large open area, with torches on the walls. He offhandedly wondered if it was safe to have open flame near all this sludge. "Hey guys! Come check this out!"

Klyde and Amber peered into the room, both taking a moment to adjust to the brightness. Klyde's eyes stopped on a doorway, and a big grin formed on his face. "That's gotta be a treasure room.", he proclaimed as he pointed to the room. Before his teammates could argue, he marched up to the door and kicked it in.

"You know, that door had a handle, Klyde. You could have just opened it." Klyde ignored her as he pointed into the room. Sure enough, there was a large treasure chest at the back of the room.

Amber shrugged. "Well, what do you know? I guess even Klyde can be right occasionally."

James looked at her with a puzzled expression. "Who knew?"

They both turned as they heard a loud, long groan. Klyde had opened the chest, but instead of there being treasure, all that was in the box was a single ring. He looked up at the two of them with a frown, held up the ring, and asked, "Either of you two want a stupid ring?"

Amber and James shook their heads and turned away. In the distance, the sound of a large explosion echoed through the room. Without a word, they both turned and sprinted towards the room it had come from. Klyde angrily jammed the ring onto his finger, pulled himself up, and followed after his party members, not noticing the faint glow surrounding him.

* * *

"Well… lookie here… It's a fresh young elf…" A demonic octopus looking creature hissed as he approached Lee. Two of it's brethren emerged from the shadows, strange sounds escaping from their mouths as they all backed Lee into a corner. Lee growled as he drew his rapier. _I tried a fire spell, but it had no effect… dammit! These must be the Wizard creatures that everyone was scared of!_

Lee readied himself to jump, but right before he did, a voice rang out from somewhere behind the Wizards.

"Hey! It's that elf we ran into before! He's the guy we gotta help!" James jumped at the Wizards, both hands clenched into fists. He channeled his inner energy into one of the fists, throwing it forward.

"Wave fist!" A small burst of energy shot from James' fist, smashing full force into the face of one of the Wizards. The black belt used the stun to thrust a foot into where he thought the monster's rib cage should be. Before the monster could react, he threw out a lightning fast flurry of punches and kicks.

The other two wizards focused their energies, and a magickal spark filled the room. Dual cries of "Fire!" rang out, and blasts of ethereal flames lanced towards James from either side. The black belt looked up in time to see both streams of heat right as they collided into him, creating a large explosion.

"James!" Amber rushed in, chanting the first words of a cure spell. Before she could finish, one of the wizards lashed out at her, knocking the white mage off of her feet.

"Great… more monsters…" Klyde walked into the room, the faint aura around him illuminating the room. Amber raised an eyebrow as she stared at him. _Where did he get that aura…?_

Klyde took in his surroundings, and then noticed Amber staring at him. He gave her a cheesy smile and waved. _See? She's totally into me! Look at her stare!_

While Klyde was distracted, the Wizards turned their attention on him, both casting lightning spells. Two bolts of electricity arced down, smashing into Klyde and sending him flying back into a wall. Amber jumped up to help him, but the fighter managed ot get to his feet on his own. The concussive force of the bolts sent him back, but other than that, he seemed unaffected. He drew the Aeolus and glared.

"You two monsters are dead!" As he began to dash forward, the until now quiet elf, Lee, threw up his hands. "Hold!" He cried, casting a spell of binding on the two demon Wizards. Unable to move, they were powerless as Klyde came down, slicing easily through both of their heads. He sheathed his sword, gave the universe in general the thumbs-up, and locked his eyes onto the big treasure chest behind Lee.

"Finally! Treasure!" He pried open the chest, and grinned as he pulled out a large embroidered crown, the jewels twinkling in the scant light. Lee reached over, pulled it from his hands, and walked off. Klyde hung his head.

"I'm never gonna get any treasure…" he muttered to himself.

Amber slowly got up, grabbing Klyde's hand and inspecting the ring. "Is this what protected you from their spells?" She mused aloud. "There are symbols, but they look like they are elven…"

Lee glanced over, shrugged, and turned his attention back to the crown. "It's an elven copper ring. It basically uses small amounts of magic to create a light shield around the wearer.", he explained over his shoulder. With his free hand, he cast a quick cure spell on James. "Thanks for the assist back there, you guys. You've come to help the prince?"

Amber nodded. "Teresse sent us to help you on your quest. But why this crown? What purpose does it serve?"

Lee smiled, pushing his large red hat out of his eyes. His signature locks of silver hair swayed to the side, showing the twinkle in his eyes as he looked at the crown. "An old man to the north of here has offered to help me heal the prince. He says all I need to do is bring him this crown. Apparently, there is some sort of magic within in it, capable of awaking his highness. All that is left to do is deliver it to the old man."

James got to his feet, cracked his neck, and smiled. "Finally, something easy. Let's go give the old guy this crown and call it a day then."

The adventurers all gave a nod of agreement and set off towards the entrance to the Marsh caves.

* * *

The old castle they had arrived at reminded Klyde of the Temple of Chaos where he and James had defeated Garland nearly a week ago. _Man, time sure does fly…_ He thought to himself as they stepped inside.

They wandered through the decrepit halls, eventually making it into the throne room. Seated on the aged throne was an aged elf. His eyes opened slightly as the heroes walked in, but his eyes positively shot open as he saw the crown in Lee's hands.

"Ah, boy, you have brought the crown to me!"

Lee nodded, holding out the crown in front of him. With a speed completely unexpected of one so frail, the old man lunged from the throne and snatched up the crown, looking at it greedily. Lee gave the old man a puzzled look.

"You will heal the prince now, won't you?"

There was a gleam in the old man's eyes that wasn't there before. "Why would I do something like that? After all the trouble I took to cast the sleeping spell on him in the first place!"

Lee's eyes went wide as energy began to whip around the old man, ripping off the frail old disguise and revealing a powerful looking elf in full battle armor.

"I am Astos, you fool! And your reward for bringing me the crown shall be death!"

The party of adventures all readied themselves for battle as Astos charged.

* * *

AN- Isn't that a horrible place to cut a chapter? I know. Don't worry though, I'm sure it won't take too long to put out the new chapter. Like I said, if you want to know what is going on with update times, just subscribe to my weekly newsletter. If you want to be on the mailing list, just leave your email address in your review. See you next time! 


	10. The Dark Elf

Klyde and company watched in shock as the strange old man cackled, his form twisting and changing into one of a heavily armored elf. His angular face had a sinister look about it, and his eyes narrowed.

"I am Astos, you fools! And you have brought the crown to me! It's magic power shall be mine!"

A small glow surrounded the crown as Astos began drawing upon its energy. His form grew bigger and bigger, and an aura of strength wrapped itself around him. The once powerful crown crumbled into ashes as its last drop of energy was depleted. Lee's eyes shot open in anguish. _The crown!… Now there is no chance for the prince!_

Astos grinned, forming a ball of magick in his hands. It writhed and pulsated, as if it had a life of its own. "Prepare to die, insects! Rub!" As he spoke the name of the spell, the magickal ball shot forward, electricity crackling around it as it raced toward the heroes.

James's eyes shot open in fear as the ball quickly arced toward him, too fast to dodge. The attack slammed into his chest, sending sparks of magick in every direction. The monk fell to his knees as he felt the life force drain out of him. With the last of his strength, he muttered, "Damn…" as he collapsed to the ground.

"James!" A fire lit up in Klyde's eyes as he turned towards Astos. "You bastard!" Klyde dove forward, his only intent on destroying the dark elf.

Amber watched him go in surprise. _Since when did Klyde care about James?…_She turned toward the fallen black belt, gathering the energy for a cure spell in her hands. _Maybe we bit off a bit more than we could chew this time…_

The rush of battle finally snapped Lee out of his shock. He hadn't known James very well, but he understood the pain of losing someone. "I won't let you hurt anyone else, Astos!" He cried, drawing his rapier and lunging toward the villain.

Astos grinned as he watched the fighter and blue mage approach. "And what do you two think you can do?"

Klyde closed his eyes, focusing his will on the Aeolus. The hilt began to shine as the gem within it unleashed its magick. The blade of the Aeolus lit up, its edge being enhanced with the power of wind.

"Aero blade!" The fighter yelled, coming down on the evil elf. Where the sword struck, there was a vacuum effect, causing further damage with the power from the gem. Klyde wasted no time pressing his advantage, swinging his weapon with a ferocity and speed hitherto unseen in the fighter.

Lee stopped his charge, realizing Klyde needed little physical support. Instead he readied his magick, calling forth a fire spell. With a crimson flash, the ethereal flame barreled into Astos' chest, knocking the dark elf back. Klyde didn't let up for a second, bringing the Aeolus around for another strike, hitting right where the fireball had stuck. The combined power of might and magick prevailed, and Astos' armor split.

The dark elf shrugged off the remaining pieces, cracking his neck and grinning. "Congratulations. You have used all of your might, and you managed to defeat merely my armor. Now, it is my turn."

With a movement too fast for the eyes, Astos shot forward, pure energy forming in his hands. A lightning quick punch drove itself into Klyde's stomach, cracking his armor and knocking the breath out of him. The fighter stood his ground, however, focusing his will and steeling his body for another round.

From behind him, he heard Amber cry out. "The cure spell isn't working! He isn't waking up!"

A guttural growl came up out of Klyde's throat as his eyes narrowed. His Aeolus came up, cutting through Astos' midsection like butter. The dark elf winced at the pain, but continued his attack, slamming his fists into Klyde over and over again. Just as Klyde's body began to give, Lee's voice rang out.

"Cure!" A healing light washed over Klyde, revitalizing him to his max. As he jumped back into the melee, Lee began chanting another spell, weaving a shield of protection around the enraged fighter. The protect spell cushioned the blows of Astos' punches, and Klyde pressed his attack without any hindrance. He backed the dark elf against a wall, readying himself for a finishing blow.

"Aero!" He cried out, a small tornado sucking up the villain.

Lee jumped forward, dumping his own power into the attack. "Fire!" The tornado became engulfed with flames, disintegrating the evil Astos. His last cries of pain eventually faded away with the burning tornado, and a small crystal fell away. All that could be heard was the sound of it hitting the ground.

* * *

The heroes stood in the Elfland infirmary, James unconscious on a bunk. He had not moved since the battle with Astos, Klyde having to carry him the entire trip back. The fighter's eyes were red around the edges, and he had in his hands the crystal that had fallen from Astos' body as he was quietly examining it. It was the smoothest gem he had ever seen, and on one side, there was a depiction of a pupil. Staring at the crystal was slightly off-putting, as it felt like the crystal was staring at you back.

Amber stepped back from James' bed and gave Klyde a small smile. "It will be a little while, but James will eventually wake up. He just needs some rest."

Klyde let out a sigh of relief and nodded. "Awesome."

The white mage walked over to him and took the crystal from his hands. "What is this thing, anyway?"

Klyde shrugged. He had been wondering the same thing himself. "I don't know. But it looks kind of like an eye. I think I'm gonna bring it to Matoya. Maybe she knows what it is."

Amber nodded. "Maybe by the time we get back, James will be awake."

They both turned toward Lee, who had been quiet the whole trip back. "Are you gonna come with us?"

Lee shook his head, giving his new companions a soft smile. "I don't think so. I am deeply indebted to the three of you, but my mission is not over. I must find another way to save the prince."

Klyde nodded. "Well, good luck with that." Lee nodded, excusing himself from the room.

Amber turned back to Klyde, stifling a short yawn. "I think it's time to hit the sack. We'll head towards Matoya's cave tomorrow. You should get some sleep too."

Klyde nodded, but as she left the room, Klyde sat down in a chair beside James' bed. "This was my fault. I should have been able to stop that attack…" He shook his head as he leaned back in the chair, slowly drifting off to sleep. "I'm sorry…"

From outside the room, Amber smiled at no one in general. _So, the big idiot does have some consideration…

* * *

_

The next morning was a bright one, the sun beating down on the grass. Klyde rubbed his eyes, trying to get used to the oppressive light. Amber rolled her eyes at him. "You act like you've never seen the sun before."

"I wish I hadn't," Klyde said, hanging his head as they made their way toward the dock where their ship was harbored.

"Amber!" A female voice rang out from behind them, and they turned around to find Teresse running up to them.

Amber smiled, giving her formed mentor a small bow. Teresse shook her head, giving the white mage a powerful hug. "Lee told me about what happened. You saved his life. You have my sincere thanks."

Klyde rubbed the back of his neck and grinned. "So where is Lee?"

"He went off early this morning."

Amber sighed. "Back to looking for a cure already?"

Teresse's face split into a big smile. "No, he left to find his brother. Nothing will make me happier than to see both of them here again. I heard you two were leaving?"

Amber nodded.

"Well, I wish you both the best of luck. And don't worry about your friend. He will receive the best care possible until you return."

The two adventurers smiled, waving goodbye as they headed towards their ship.

* * *

Several hours later found them on the water, waves breaking against the hull. Klyde stood on the bow, striking a heroic pose as they sailed off into the distance. Amber's curses could be heard from the other side of the deck, however, as she struggled with the ropes of the sails.

"You could help me, you moron!"

* * *

AN- Yes, an extremely short chapter. I am aware. Basically I just wanted to do the fight with Astos, and it did not take up as much space as I thought it would. Hopefully the next chapter will prove longer. We shall see. Until next time, folks! 


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